Umbrella

ABSTRACT

An umbrella includes a shaft, a cap connected to the shaft, a runner movable on the shaft, long and short ribs, a controller unit and rib-collapsing units. The runner includes recesses. Each of the long ribs includes upper, middle and lower sections. The short ribs connect the upper sections of the long ribs to the runner. The controller unit is operable to allow the long ribs to stretch and collapse. Each of the rib-collapsing units includes a cap magnet connected to the cap, a runner magnet inserted in a corresponding one of the recesses and two middle-section magnets. The first middle-section magnet is connected to the middle section of a corresponding one of the long ribs and adapted for attraction to the cap magnet. The second middle-section magnet is connected to the middle section of a corresponding one of the long ribs and adapted for attraction to the runner magnet.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to an umbrella and, more particularly, toan umbrella that includes rib-collapsing units.

2. Related Prior Art

A conventional umbrella includes a panel, a shaft, ribs and a controllerunit. The panel is connected to the ribs. The shaft includes an uppertube, a middle tube and a lower tube. A cap is non-movably connected toan upper portion of the upper tube. A runner is movably connected to theupper tube. A handle is connected to a lower portion of the lower tube.Each of the ribs includes upper, lower and middle sections pivotallyconnected to one another. An end of the upper section of each of theribs is pivotally connected to the cap while an end of the lower sectionof the same is pivotally connected to the runner. The controller unit isinserted in the shaft. The controller unit includes a button located onthe handle. The button is operable to instruct the controller unit toallow the ribs to stretch or collapse, i.e., allow the umbrella to openor close.

The ribs must be arranged in a good order before the panel can be foldedneatly when the umbrella is in the closed position. However, thearrangement of the ribs is a troublesome process that takes a longperiod of time.

The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at leastalleviate the problems encountered in prior art.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide anumbrella that can be neatly closed with ease.

To achieve the foregoing objective, the umbrella includes a shaft, a capconnected to the shaft, a runner movable on the shaft, long and shortribs, a controller unit and rib-collapsing units. The runner includesrecesses. Each of the long ribs includes upper, lower and middlesections. The short ribs connect the upper sections of the long ribs tothe runner. The controller unit is operable to allow the long ribs tostretch and collapse. Each of the rib-collapsing units includes a capmagnet connected to the cap, a runner magnet inserted in a correspondingone of the recesses and two middle-section magnets. The firstmiddle-section magnet is connected to the middle section of acorresponding one of the long ribs and adapted for attraction to the capmagnet. The second middle-section magnet is connected to the middlesection of a corresponding one of the long ribs and adapted forattraction to the runner magnet.

In another aspect, the shaft includes an upper tube, a middle tubetelescopically connected to the upper tube, and a lower tubetelescopically connected to the middle tube. The cap is connected to theupper tube. The runner is movable on the upper tube.

In another aspect, the cap magnet is made of a magnetic or ferromagneticmaterial.

In another aspect, the first middle-section magnet is made of a magneticor ferromagnetic material.

In another aspect, the runner magnet is made of a magnetic orferromagnetic material.

In another aspect, the second middle-section magnet is made of amagnetic or ferromagnetic material.

In another aspect, each of the rib-collapsing units includes a thirdmiddle-section magnet and a lower-section magnet. The thirdmiddle-section magnet is connected to the middle section of thecorresponding long rib. The lower-section magnet is connected to thelower section of the corresponding long rib and adapted for attractionto the third middle-section magnet.

In another aspect, each of the rib-collapsing units includes anupper-section magnet connected to the upper section of the correspondinglong rib and adapted for attraction to the cap magnets.

Other objectives, advantages and features of the present invention willbe apparent from the following description referring to the attacheddrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described via detailed illustration of thepreferred embodiment referring to the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an umbrella according to the preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the umbrella in another position thanshown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial view of the umbrella in another position than shownin FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the umbrella shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the umbrella in another positionthan shown in FIG. 1 shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a magnet attached to a longrib of the umbrella shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of another magnet attached to thelong rib shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In the following description referring to the FIGS. 1 through 5, similarelements will be given identical numbers for briefness and clarity.

An umbrella includes a shaft 10, long ribs 20, short ribs 24, acontroller unit (not numbered) and rib-collapsing units (not numbered)according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Each ofthe rib-collapsing units is used to collapse and keep a correspondingone of the long ribs 20 near the shaft 10.

The shaft 10 includes an upper tube 11, a middle tube 12 and a lowertube 13. The upper tube 11, the middle tube 12 and the lower tube 13 aretelescopically connected to one another. Hence, the length of the shaft10 is adjustable. A cap 14 is non-movably connected to an upper portionof the upper tube 11. A runner 15 is movably connected to the upper tube11. A handle 16 is non-movably connected to a lower portion of the lowertube 13. A user can hold the umbrella by the handle 16.

Each of the long ribs 20 includes an upper section 21, a middle section22 and a lower section 23 in the preferred embodiment. However, each ofthe long ribs 20 can include another number of sections in anotherembodiment. The upper section 21 includes an end pivotally connected tothe cap 14 and another end pivotally connected to an end of the middlesection 22. The middle section 22 includes another end pivotallyconnected to an end of the lower section 23. Each of the short ribs 24includes an end pivotally connected to the runner 15 and another endpivotally connected to a portion of the upper section 21.

The controller unit is inserted in the shaft 10. The controller unitincludes a button 31 located on the handle 16. The button 31 is operableto allow the long ribs 20 and the short ribs 24 to stretch or collapse,i.e., allow the umbrella to open and close. The controller unit will notbe described in detail for being conventional.

The runner 15 includes recesses 51 evenly located around and made in theperiphery. The recesses 51 are made in the runner 15 during the formingof the runner 15 by injection molding. Each of the recesses 51 is usedto receive the middle section 22 of a corresponding one of the long ribs20 when the long ribs 20 are in the collapsed position.

Each of the rib-collapsing units includes a cap magnet 52, a runnermagnet 53, an upper-section magnet 57, three middle-section magnets 54,55 and 56 and a lower-section magnet 58. Each of the rib-collapsingunits is used for a corresponding one of the long ribs 20 asmentioned-above. The following description will be given to only one ofthe rib-collapsing units and the corresponding long rib 20. The magnets53 to 58 are made of a magnetic or ferromagnetic material.

The cap magnet 52 is connected to the periphery of the cap 14 by anyproper means.

The runner magnet 53 is fitted in a corresponding one of the recesses 51made in the runner 15.

The upper-section magnet 57 is connected to a point of the upper section21 of the long rib 20 near an upper end. The upper-section magnet 57 isused for attraction to the cap magnet 52.

Referring to FIG. 6, the first middle-section magnet 54 is connected toa point of the upper section 21 of the long rib 20 near an upper end.The first middle-section magnet 54 is used for attraction to the capmagnet 52 and/or the upper-section magnet 57.

Referring to FIG. 7, the second middle-section magnet 55 is connected toa point of the middle section 22 near a lower end. The secondmiddle-section magnet 55 is used for attraction to the runner magnet 53.

The third middle-section magnet 56 is connected to a substantiallymiddle point of the middle section 22 of the long rib 20. Themiddle-section magnet 56 is preferably in the form of a sleeve locatedaround the middle section 22 of the long rib 20.

The lower-section magnet 58 is connected to a substantially middle pointof the lower section 23 of the long rib 20. The lower-section magnet 58is preferably in the form of a sleeve located around the lower section23 of the long rib 20. The lower-section magnet 58 is used forattraction to the third middle-section magnet 56.

The button 31 can be pushed to instruct the controller unit to allow theopening or closing of the umbrella, i.e., allow the stretching orcollapsing of the long ribs 20. As each of the long ribs 20 is in thecollapsed position, the upper-section magnet 57 is attracted to the capmagnet 52. Moreover, the first middle-section magnet 54 is attracted tothe cap magnet 52 and/or the upper-section magnet 57. Furthermore, thesecond middle-section magnet 55 is attracted to the runner magnet 53. Inaddition, the lower-section magnet 58 is attracted to the thirdmiddle-section magnet 56. Thus, the upper section 21, the middle section22 and the lower section 23 are moved toward and kept near each other.The second middle-section magnet 55 and the lower end of the middlesection 22 of the long rib 20 are kept in the corresponding recess 51.An upper end of the lower section 23 of the long rib 20 is retained nearthe cap 14. A lower end of the lower section 23 of the long rib 20 isretained near the runner 15. Therefore, the long rib 20 is collapsed andpositioned automatically, i.e., the umbrella is closed neatly.

The present invention has been described via the illustration of thepreferred embodiment. Those skilled in the art can derive variationsfrom the preferred embodiment without departing from the scope of thepresent invention. For example, the cap magnets 52 can be replaced witha single annular element connected to the cap 14 in another embodiment.Similarly, the runner magnets 53 can be replaced with a single annularelement connected to the runner 15 in another embodiment. Theupper-section magnet 57 can be omitted in another embodiment since thefirst middle-section magnet 54 is used for attraction to the cap magnet52 to keep the upper section 57 close to the shaft 11. The thirdmiddle-section magnet 56 and the lower-section magnet 58 can both beomitted in another embodiment. Therefore, the preferred embodiment shallnot limit the scope of the present invention defined in the claims.

1. An umbrella comprising: a shaft (10); a cap (14) connected to theshaft (10); a runner (15) movable on the shaft (10) and comprisingrecesses (51); long ribs (20) each of which comprises an upper section(21) pivotally connected to the cap (14), a middle section (22)pivotally connected to the upper section (21), and a lower section (23)pivotally connected to the middle section (22); short ribs (24)connecting the upper sections (21) of the long ribs (20) to the runner(15); a controller unit operable to allow the long ribs (20) to stretchand collapse; and rib-collapsing units each of which comprises: a capmagnet (52) connected to the cap (14); a runner magnet (53) inserted ina corresponding one of the recesses (51); a first middle-section magnet(54) connected to the middle section (22) of a corresponding one of thelong ribs (20) and adapted for attraction to the cap magnet (52); and asecond middle-section magnet (55) connected to the middle section (22)of a corresponding one of the long ribs (20) and adapted for attractionto the runner magnet (53).
 2. The umbrella according to claim 1, whereinthe shaft (10) comprises an upper tube (11), a middle tube (12)telescopically connected to the upper tube (11), and a lower tube (13)telescopically connected to the middle tube (12), wherein the cap (14)is connected to the upper tube (11), wherein the runner (15) is movableon the upper tube (11).
 3. The umbrella according to claim 1, whereinthe cap magnet (52) is made of a material selected from the groupconsisting of magnetic materials and ferromagnetic materials.
 4. Theumbrella according to claim 3, wherein the first middle-section magnet(54) is made of a material selected from the group consisting ofmagnetic materials and ferromagnetic materials.
 5. The umbrellaaccording to claim 1, wherein the runner magnet (53) is made of amaterial selected from the group consisting of magnetic materials andferromagnetic materials.
 6. The umbrella according to claim 5, whereinthe second middle-section magnet (55) is made of a material selectedfrom the group consisting of magnetic materials and ferromagneticmaterials.
 7. The umbrella according to claim 1, wherein each of therib-collapsing units comprises: a third middle-section magnet (56)connected to the middle section (22) of the corresponding long rib (20);and a lower-section magnet (58) connected to the lower section (23) ofthe corresponding long rib (20) and adapted for attraction to the thirdmiddle-section magnet (56).
 8. The umbrella according to claim 1,wherein each of the rib-collapsing units comprises an upper-sectionmagnet (57) connected to the upper section (21) of the correspondinglong rib (20) and adapted for attraction to the cap magnets (52).